Running to the Start?
by sage050699
Summary: This is an OCxJayfeather story. Runningheart has had a horrible past, is having a strange present, but will all that change when she falls head-over-heels in love with Jayfeather?She thinks she running from a horrible start to a terrible finish, wrong.
1. The memory returns to haunt me

"Wait, don't go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "If you leave, you'll die!" I yelled in another attempt to call my sister back to me. Knowing I had no chance to bring my sister away from the death she didn't know of, I sat in the soft grass defeated.

_Don't worry, it's just a dream. Just a dream_. I thought to myself, not knowing I had an audience.

"More like a horrible memory being relived," a familiar voice said.

I whipped around and saw a beautiful starry she-cat. "Birchsong! Oh I've missed you so much…!" I yelled, tears edging my eyes, I buried my face in her fur. "Why did you come?" I asked.

"I came because you obviously needed me! Oh, Runningheart," my mother said. She started melting away along with the comfort. Then the once dry grass I was sitting on felt… different. I looked down at the blood spattered grass, why is there blood?

_When all that you see is red below you, your task will be done_, a dark, mysterious voice said. I turned my gaze upwards at the voice. Birchsong was standing a tail length away, a vacant look in her eyes.

Then, my eyes snapped open, lapping up the first rays of dawn. I stretched awake carefully stepping over the other sleeping warriors. As I got into the clearing of the Thunderclan camp, I saw the clan leader, Firestar, walking towards the patch of sun to clean himself. Brambleclaw followed behind him.

I walked over to Brambleclaw, the deputy, to find out my duties for the day; after I found out I walked over to the medicine den. I poked my head in; I had to talk to him. "Jayfeather?" I whispered trying to see if he was up. "Yes?" I heard the response. "Starclan gave me a prophecy, I'm worried about it." I said, walking towards the now stiff Jayfeather. "What kind of prophecy?" he asked in a tense voice.

"When all that you see is red below you, your task will be done," I said in a wary tone.

"When?"

"What?"

"When did you have the prophecy?"

"Last night."

Jayfeather was silent, it frightened me. I thought he might know what this means, I was curious but still scared to know.

"What?" I asked. My worry tainted voice barely audible.

"It's nothing, forget it. It's almost time for patrol, don't you have duty." He said as if to avoid the subject.

"Yeah, whatever. See you later, badger breath."

"Shut up. I have a patient," he said, nodding towards an apprentice who was limping into the wide, but cozy space. As I walked out of the den that held the smells I loved so much, the smells that reminded me of all the happy things in my life, I caught sight of my best friend, Fernshade, walking into the clearing.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

"Oh, just a second. Here comes Lionblaze, hey Lionblaze! What's up, kitty-cat?" she purred, walking in a circle around him, putting her tail around his neck, letting it slide off as she completed her full circle around him.

He responded with a confused, but scared stiff position. "Uh…"

"It's alright; you don't have to say anything. I already know how you feel." She told him as she rubbed her head against his neck.

"Uh… Fernshade, I have to go on, uh…patrol!" he blurted, obviously having just come up with the excuse. "Yes, I have to go on patrol!"

He ran so quickly away from his "seductive death" that Fernshade fell from her position leaning on her "crush's" shoulder to the ground.

"Oh come on," Fernshade whined "he's so pathetic…pathetically _adorable!_" she said with a level of amusement and exasperation all thrown into a sigh of awe. "What a kitty."

She was so weird. Then again she was probably contaminated from that stupid twoleg she used to live with.

"So, what were you doing with Jayfeather so early this morning?" she asked with a suggestive tone tainting her voice.

"Uh…No reason," I said with a cautious tone. She'd morph anything I'd say into something it wasn't. I had to choose my words carefully.

"Uh-huh, so-" She was cut off by wailing from the nursery. We both whipped our heads in the direction of the sound. As we did, we saw Jayfeather running into the nursery.

I ran over to the nursery to find out what was happening. "Jayfeather, do something! Do something, right now!" Blackrose yowled.

"What's happening!" I yelled in confusion.

"What? You've never seen kits being born?"

"No!" He looked at me, his blind blue eyes burning into my pelt as I told him.

"Come here, when a kit comes out, nip the sac open. Then, lick them dry and put them to her belly to suckle. Make sure they're breathing first." He told me. I just stared.


	2. Kits bring up unwanted disscusion

"What?" I asked, completely astounded that the medicine cat wanted me to help give _birth_ to kittens.

"Just do what I said; the kits are starting to come!" Jayfeather said in a loud voice.

The kits came out just fine, two small kits. One was white with black paws and ears. The other was a mini of his mother, black fur. Grey eyes just like his sister. They were beautiful. They're names were Leafkit, and Dawnkit (Leafkit- mini mom, Dawnkit- sister). "They're beautiful." I told Jayfeather later in the medicine den. (I had stepped on a rather large thorn.)

"Who?"

"The kits."

He paused, thinking for a minute. "Do you like kits?" he asked, probably trying to start a conversation.

"Yes. I can't wait till I have my own. Hopefully they'll turn out alright this time…" I said absently, unaware I had just told him something I didn't want him knowing.

He stopped sorting through the herbs, and turned to face me. "You've already had kits?" He asked me confused.

"Uh….." I said scraping my mind for an excuse. He walked over to me and sat down, expecting an answer.

I sighed. "Just one." I told him, trying not to give anything away.

"What happened?"

"What?"

"You said that you hope they turn out alright this time." He said in a curious voice.

"Nothing." I said, trying to end this unfortunate conversation. I got up and left, limping a tiny bit.

I shook my paw, and then walked over to the warriors den. I could sleep a little more before the next patrol. At least I thought.

"Runningheart?" I heard Lionblaze ask.

"What?" I snapped.

"It's time for patrol." I groaned.

"Already?" I got up and walked into the clearing, as soon as I did I saw Fernshade talking to Firestar. Firestar nodded. Then turned to me. "Runningheart. Come here please."

"Yes Firestar?" I asked, crossing the clearing.

"Can you stay here for the rest of the day?"


	3. kits change overtime

"Well, I suppose I could. Why?" I asked, confused why the clan leader would bail me out of duties. "Jayfeather requested your help for the day." He answered. Oh brother.

"Ok." I said in an exasperated tone. Why did Jayfeather have to be a medicine cat? Why? I looked over and saw Jayfeather looking at me. Evil little pile of fox dung.

I walked over, a little relieved to have the day "off". "So what help do you request, oh great medicine cat?" He gave me a sour look, and then said, "Help me sort the herbs." He said, a small smile playing on his face.

"Which one is this?" I asked, looking at the little blackish dots.

"They're poppy seeds." He told, sounding like it was something everyone knew. He was annoying that way. After we were done sorting all the herbs, he sat down and started a conversation. "What was your kit like?" He asked.

"Always so odd." That's all I would admit him."Anything else you need?"

"Not really. Would you like to talk about anything?" He asked, a glint in his eyes.

"Yes, actually. I want to know how you got Fernshade to talk to Firestar." I told him.

"Uh…I just told her something about Lionblaze, that's all." He muttered. I was suddenly over whelmed by a feeling of pity for this poor cat. "What did you tell her?" I asked in a wary, tense tone.

"Just something he looks for in a cat…" He told me. "Your poor brother." I muttered. There was nothing else to do, so I got up and left after we were done talking. When I got out, I immediately spotted Fernshade.

"What did Jayfeather tell you?" I asked her.

"Uh…Don't know what you're talking about!" She said.

"Yeah right, spill. As in now." I told her. She hesitated, and then she sighed.

"Alright, he told me Lionblaze likes girls who are smart and calm…Can you help me?" She asked me with a gleam of hope in her eyes. "With the smart part, you know?"

"Um, ok what do you not know?" I asked. We sat talking about things like kits, the clans, reviewing the warrior code, past leaders. Stuff like that.

"Oh there's Lionblaze, thanks Runningheart! Lionblaze, can I talk to you?" she asked.

"Uh...Sure, why?" He asked, suspicious.

"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to go hunting with me and Runningheart later." She told him. He blinked. "Sure." He said with a smile. I know what must be running through his head. Oh my Starclan, she's actually normal for once. I smiled at the thought. I was glad I had something to do later. Well I _did_ have something to later until, "Runningheart?" I heard Firestar ask.

"Yes?"

"Can you come into my den for a minute?"

"Uh… Ok?" I said, walking toward the leader. I followed him into his den.

"What is it Firestar?"

"Thunderclan is having an apprentice ceremony later tonight. We have mentors for two of the kits already; would you like to mentor Scarletkit?" Scarletkit was a reddish-black she-cat with dark amber eyes. She was a sweetheart! "I would love to." I said dipping my head. "Thank you Firestar."

He nodded, "You're welcome."

I walked out of his den, and then went to the nursery to visit the kits. "Hello?" I said quietly, trying not to wake the newborn kits. The kits tackled me, greeting me. "Runningheart! Where've you been? I missed you!" I heard Thunderkit squeak. Scarletkit was playing with my tail with a huge goofy grin on her face. "Hey Runningheart, where have you been anyway?" She repeated her brother's question.

"Well the work of a warrior is never done." I meowed softly.

"I can't wait to be an apprentice! Then I can learn all the warrior moves! Runningheart, will you show us another move? Please, oh pretty please with a mouse on top?" I laughed at Cloverkit's plead.

"Ok, do you have one in mind?"

"Yeah, can you show us that one move where you attack them from behind?" Thunderkit yowled.

I placed my chin of Scarletpaw's head, she did her part. Then she was an apprentice, _my_ apprentice.


End file.
